An antique Hon Kotansu (personal book storage chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Two hinged Biraki doors open to a split level shelf where books and other personal belongings were stored. Two side by side drawers below gave additional storage space for organizing. Straight dovetail joinery with hardened wood nails were used in its construction.

Age: Late Meiji-Taisho (1910-1920)

Dimensions: 25 1/2" Wide by 19 3/4" High by 12 1/2" Deep

An antique Hon Kotansu (personal book storage chest) made of Kirinoki (Paulownia) wood. Two hinged Biraki doors open to a split level shelf where books and other personal belongings were stored. Two side by side drawers below gave additional storage space for organizing. Straight dovetail joinery with hardened wood nails were used in its construction.

Age: Late Meiji-Taisho (1910-1920)

Dimensions: 25" Wide by 19 3/4" High by 12 1/2" Deep

A vintage Japanese Geta Bako (chest for shoe storage) made of Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. Two sliding doors hide a storage area separated by 2 removable wood shelves...

A vintage Japanese Geta Bako (chest for shoe storage) made of Tochinoki (Horse Chestnut) and Hinoki (Cypress) woods. Two sliding doors hide a storage area separated by 2 removable wood shelves. Bottom drawers provide additional storage. The Geta Bako was traditionally used at the entrance to a Japanese home to allow family members to remove and store their shoes before entering the home. Age: Taisho/Showa Era (1920-1930) Dimensions: 22 1/2" wide x 38" high x 15 1/2" deep

Rare Japanese gyosho kannon bako. Constructed of Kiri wood with original red lacquer finish. The piece is fitted with hand-forged iron plates and mounts. The front of the chest holds 3 small drawers in its lower section, with a pair of large doors above. The interior of the chest has a large open compartment with a long drawer long the top. The sides are fitted with iron rings and handles with a long cord so the piece may be carried on a merchant's back.

Edo Period (1603-1868) circa...

Japanese merchants chest known as a gyoshu baku. Made of 100% sugi (Japanese Cypress) wood. Hand forged iron hardware. Single hinged with latching door. Tucked inside are seven drawers. Gyohu bakus are meant to be worn on the backpack for ease of transport and organized storage.

Edo Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 11" wide x 29 1/3" H x 19 1/2" deep

Japanese half section Mizuya (kitchen buffet tansu) with four Keyaki burl front panels opening to a wide, narrow open space along the top of the chest. Below this are two large openwork sliding door panels of geometric design, with a small door to the left opened by a hidden Persimmon wood latch. Six drawers with Keyaki burl faces are lined along the bottom of the chest, with brass warabite pulls.

Dimensions: 70 1/2" L x 18" D x 38 1/2" H

Japanese isho tansu (clothing chest) from the Yamagata area, made of kuri (chestnut) wood and sugi (cryptomeria) wood with lovely original deep red and black lacquer finish, iron hardware with ivy leaf lock plates, hirute handles, safe box with two small interior drawers, Edo/Meiji Periods (circa mid 1800's). H 35-1/2", W 39-1/4", D 17-1/2"

Japanese kaidan tansu, or step tansu with glowing hardwood finish, Hinoki (cypress) frame and Sugi wood steps. The bottom two steps have Keyaki (elm) front drawers with warabite iron handles. A Sugi wood cabinet door with vertical slats opens from the largest area with roomy storage. Unusual Size, very usable. Size: 45.25" height, 31.5" length, 23.25" depth

A vintage Japanese Kamo Isho Tansu (Kimono storage chest) in 2 sections made entirely of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original metal hardware including the stylized Gumbai handles and the Plum blossom arabesque door lock plates. Upper section has a pair of sliding doors behind which lies two small drawers, a split level shelf and a pair of hinged doors that hide 4 removable Kimono trays...

A vintage Japanese 2 section special Kamo Tansu kimono chest made entirely of Kirinoki (Paulownia) and Kuwanoki (Mulberry) wood. The Kiri wood comes from the Aizu region of Japan which is well known for its high quality of Kiri lumber while the handle and trim accents were made of hand carved Kuwa. The wood is very thick and dense while the parts fit so perfectly that the interior of the tansu is nearly air tight keeping the valuable silk kimonos dry...

A 2 section Japanese Isho Biraki Kamo Tansu made of Kiri (Paulownia) wood. All original bronze hardware. Constructed using high quality Kiri wood from the Aizu snow country region of Japan known for their slow growth and dense grain. Upper section features 2 hinged doors behind which are 7 Kimono trays and three small side by side drawers. A secret interior wood latch locks the left and right drawers from opening while the left drawer has a secret drawer accessible from the back...

Japanese kanto style Kannon Biraki double-stacking personal clothing chest (isho-dansu). Often referred to as a "wedding chest," this tansu would have been used to store a bride's formal wedding kimono. Hinged doors on the upper section open to reveal four drawers. The layout of the drawers is characteristic of the earliest form of kanto style chests. The doors exhibit the traditional configuration of five iron hinges and iron strapping surrounding a round foliate lockplate at the center...

Antique Japanese bar tansu with dramatic natural Keyaki burl front hardwood. The locking bar has hand-forged iron bamboo motif plating; Its handle is a 16 petal chrysanthemum Imperial seal mon. The piece has 4 large drawers and a safe box containing 2 smaller drawers. Original condition lacquer finish.

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 24" x 12" x 24.5" H

Antique Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest) made of keyaki (elm) wood burl with heavy iron hardware. The upper most portion of the chest has a large full width drawer above a compartment with sliding panels. The middle of the tansu has a horizontal row of three small drawers. The bottom portion of the tansu has a series of three drawers stacked in a vertical row and held in place with a locking bar...

Beautiful Japanese choba tansu (merchant's chest), keyaki (elm) wood frame and front with nice hinoki (Japanese cypress) wood side bracing, nice keyaki wood grain, two compartments with sliding panels, 5 drawers, a safe box with 3 small interior drawers, iron hardware with hirute shaped drawer pulls, sliders pulls are made of bronze, Meiji Period (1868-1912) Size: 30" high x 25 3/4" wide x 13" deep.

Rare Japanese Funa Tansu (captain's ship chest) made of Keyaki (Zelkova) wood in original medium brown finish. The upper portion has a large front drawer with kakute (squared) iron handles and decorative iron plating, lined in attractive silver rice paper. The bottom portion is very unusual because the right door opens on a hinge while the left door slides on a track revealing four small drawers also lined in silver rice paper...

Japanese antique Funa Tansu (merchant's safe), all made of very heavy quarter sawn Keyaki (Zelkova) wood...